Faith community nurses (FCNs) are called upon to provide spiritual care as well as traditional nursing care, both in institutional settings and in the home, to congregants who suffer from chronic illness, have had surgery, or have had an accident. After conducting a holistic assessment of a patient who is chronically ill, a FCN can help the patient and his or her family copes with the disease and can provide comfort by listening, just being present, reading scripture, and/or praying. Sudden, unanticipated acute illness may pose serious emotional and spiritual problems related to fear of possible death or disability. Psychological depression may result from severe pain or fatigue. The leading chronic diseases in developed countries include arthritis, cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks and stroke, cancer such as breast and colon cancer, diabetes, epilepsy and seizures, obesity, and oral health problems.